Enemy at the Gates
by carmenobscura
Summary: Season 3 prediction story. Things at Silas University are a little out of control and Laura has never been good at sitting around. Vampires are rampant, a mysterious corporation is patrolling campus, and her relationship status is complicated. Looks like it's time to girl up.
1. Chapter 1

I recently found Carmilla and watched the first two seasons over the course of a weekend. I don't think that was the best way to consume the series but it certainly inspired me and now I am going to attempt to write a third season. In theory, there will be 36 chapters with an ending and everything. Please let me know if I have any facts from the show confused or if I get past events wrong, because there's some stuff I don't remember since I watched it so quickly.

Thank you so much for talking the time to read this and I appreciate all comments and feedback. Enjoy!

* * *

When you're trapped in a series of catacombs that seem to be sentient and occasionally rearrange themselves, you have a lot of time to think. The last couple of months went by _really_ quickly and I haven't had time to reflect on everything until now. And the thing I keep coming back to, the nagging thought that won't let me go, is Perry.

I can't talk to LaFontaine about this, they're rattled enough as it is. And Carmilla just wants us to lay low; she doesn't want me to indulge my "suicidal hero complex," as she puts it. So it looks like it's just you and me, dear viewer. Just like old times.

So. Perry.

I can't believe I didn't realize something was wrong. I'll admit, between Mattie and Vordenberg things got pretty chaotic. But Perry is my friend and we've lived together for months. How did I miss the signs? Especially the glaringly obvious signs, like when she made a _death prophecy_ to Mattie. That she was even talking like that with Mattie should have been a warning! I can't say for sure what's happened to her, but I have a theory. Let's just say, I know through personal experience that Carmilla's mother is fine and dandy with inhabiting other people's bodies. Now the only thing I need is proof. And the best way to get it...

Carmilla is not going to like this. She hasn't let me or LaFontaine leave the catacombs in weeks. She's certainly not going to let me go back to the Dean's apartment, even if she came along. I could probably sneak out while she's getting herself something to eat, but that's pretty risky and I know she would lose her marbles if she found out. I'd ask LaFontaine for help, but something tells me they won't be thrilled about the nature of this mission.

This isn't ideal. Actually, this is completely messed up. Perry is so kind and thoughtful and nurturing and just...Perry. If she's still in there, somewhere, then I know she's afraid. Out of all of us she's taken our situation the hardest, even if she pretends to be alright. I can't leave her behind, not if the Dean has possessed her and is using her to carry about some dumb plot. This is something I have to do, even if it means Carmilla bites my head off.

Assuming I make it back.


	2. Chapter 2

Note: I only just started watching Season Zero, so I don't think the events in that season will have any bearing on this story. Sorry for any confusion. Thanks for reading!

* * *

Over the next several days, Laura watched and waited. She didn't speak to Carmilla or LaFontaine about her plan, but she made occasional updates to her streaming audience. The plan was this: Carmilla's main feeding time was between 2 and 4am. Laura would pretend to sleep, wait until the coast was clear, and then sneak into the Dean's apartment. She had left some markings around the catacombs to decrease her chances of getting completely lost, although she knew that the tunnels had a mind of their own and there was only so much she could do.

After that, the plan wasn't so clear. Laura didn't know what she was looking for. In her case, the Dean had used a cursed necklace to inhabit her, but she didn't remember any mysterious jewelry suddenly appearing on Perry. There were quite a few documents around the apartment that could contain useful information but she had no idea where to begin. Her best bet would be to go directly to Perry's room and try to find evidence of some kind. And then get the hell out of there.

It was a Wednesday (or a Thursday? hard to tell days in the library sub basement) when Laura felt ready to make her move. She carefully brushed her teeth with the remnants of a travel sized tube of toothpaste and her finger. She ran a broken comb through her hair and washed her face as best she could in the reflection from a shard of mirror. She dressed in her best "life or death situation" clothes before climbing into her sleeping bag and fluffing her thin pillow. Living in the tunnels for the past couple of weeks had been rough, even with the supplies Carmilla had managed to procure and the small scientific wonders LaFontaine produced. Laura felt particularly useless since she wasn't allowed outside and didn't have LaFontaine's inventiveness. Maybe that was why she was planning a suicide mission to the Dean's apartment.

Laura kept on eye on the digital watch that Carmilla had found on a recent scavenging trip. She was at once trembling with anxiety and profoundly bored. After a while her eyelids drooped and she began to drift off before a soft pair of lips woke her. She opened her eyes and saw Carmilla's deep, dark irises staring back. A calming warmth spread through her. Things were still not great between her and Carmilla, but with the recent turn of events they had gravitated to each other for comfort. They exchanged small gestures of affection and moments of intimacy but they had yet to discuss their recent break up or the events surrounding it. Laura didn't want to push the subject. She knew she was being selfish, but she was grateful for the occasional hug or gentle kiss. She didn't have much else these days.

"I'm going out," Carmilla whispered, still gazing down at Laura, wrapped in her sleeping bag cocoon.

"Okay," Laura said, trying to be normal. If she was acting suspicious, Carmilla didn't notice. The vampire seemed drained lately, most likely from the sparse meals and sneaking around. "Be safe," she added.

Carmilla nodded, absentmindedly running her fingers through Laura's long, brown hair. Laura closed her eyes and relaxed into the touch, before Carmilla drew her hand away and stood up. Laura kept her eyes shut for a moment longer to hold back a sudden rush of tears. When she opened them again, Carmilla was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Laura hardly breathed as she crept through the underground passageways. She took a couple of wrong turns but was able to double back and find her way. Finally, she reached the rickety staircase that led to the trapdoor in her old apartment. The Dean's apartment. Laura took the stairs one agonizingly slow step at a time and waited several minutes before she finally got up the courage to lift the trapdoor and peek out.

The room beyond was completely dark, but her time underground had helped her adjust to the lack of light. There seemed to be no sound or movement in the room above her, but even so Laura waited with her heart pounding. She was afraid because she truly didn't know what could be waiting for her. Perry could be lurking just out of sight, ready to pounce. Or maybe she had brainwashed J.P. to attack any intruder. Laura fought to steady her breathing; it was now or never.

Slowly, Laura lifted the trapdoor, careful not to let it go as she inched her way through the gap and painstakingly settled it back into place. She gave herself a moment to unfold from the awkward crouching position she had been holding and surveyed the space. Other than a throughout cleaning, nothing much had changed. Many of her own possessions were still scattered around the room. Her TARDIS mug sat on a side table, her grey cardigan was draped over the back of a chair, and her laptop -

Her laptop.

Laura tiptoed over to the desk and checked her Mac, a gift from her dad when she started university. She swiped a finger over the track pad and blinked when the screen lit up. A quick search revealed that some footage had been recorded after she, Carmilla, and LaFontaine had escaped, but she didn't want to risk opening the file there. She ducked down and unplugged her charger, wrapping the cord into a neat loop before she snapped the lid of the computer shut and snatched it into the safety of her arms. This was enough. She wouldn't have go any further. There had to be something here that would help them.

She was just about to descend once more, when she heard a soft padding of footsteps behind her. She froze, too scared to move, until she heard the person speak.

"Hello, Laura."


	4. Chapter 4

Laura gasped.

It couldn't be. It could not be.

She turned and almost dropped her laptop.

"No," she whispered, "I saw you die."

Danny bared her teeth in a chilling smile. Laura began to shake uncontrollably. This wasn't right. Danny was dead. Like, dead dead. Died in her arms, felt the air leave her body, nail in the coffin SO SUPER DEAD. And while the tall, red haired woman staring at her with the creepy smile certainly looked like Danny, there was something troubling about her. The look in her eye held something monstrous, something incredibly dangerous, nothing at all like the courageous, bright, and loyal woman that had once been Laura's TA. And who she had fantasized about kissing as she worked on her English homework.

Danny's grinned widened. "Welcome back."

Laura felt wild. She felt like crying, screaming, running for dear life. But she was rooted to the spot as Danny sauntered toward her.

"Don't look so scared, sweetheart. I'm not going to hurt you."

Laura cringed at the pet name. Danny had never called her anything like that; it was always Carmilla's game to call her such endearments.

"You're not Danny," Laura said, as firmly as her trembling would allow. The red haired woman was almost upon her, towering over her.

"I suppose that's true in a way. The Danny you knew is dead. Her sense of righteousness, her loyalty to her friends, her pure and innocent love for you, that's all gone. Those things died with her. But I've held on to her rage and hate and regret. All good tools."

The new Danny was now right in front of her, leaning over, her braid grazing Laura's shoulder. Laura felt a hand, cold and surprisingly soft, wrap around the back of her neck and draw her forward. Danny dipped her head and Laura saw the flash of a grin before she was pulled into a deep kiss.

She was breathless when Danny finally released her. She couldn't suppress the heat rising in her body. The kiss had felt uncomfortably familiar, but she and Danny had never kissed before. It reminded her of the early days of her relationship with Carmilla, the first fervent touches they had shared...

Danny was a vampire. There was no other explanation. Someone, something, had turned her after her death. Laura was suddenly very aware of her neck.

"What do you want?" she mumbled, annoyed at her own timidity.

"Nothing now," Danny drawled, straightening up, "I just wanted to say hello."

"Is that how all vampires say hi, or just the freshly resurrected?"

Danny grinned at her, "Very good. I knew you would figure it out." She turned her back and growled, "Now go back to hole you crawled out of before I change my mind."

Laura all but dove to the trapdoor and pried it open while still juggling her laptop and charger. She climbed back into the darkness, the door closing with a _bang_ behind her, and she rushed down the narrow path. She didn't stop until she was back at their home base in the library, her sleeping bag sprawled open on the floor. She sank into it and for the first time in weeks, Laura started to cry.


	5. Chapter 5

That's how Carmilla found her, collapsed on the floor on top of a worn sleeping bag, clutching a laptop and charger like a teddy bear, and sobbing uncontrollably. If Carmilla hadn't been furious, she may have felt bad. But she was furious.

"Where have you been?" Carmilla demanded, hovering over Laura as she hiccuped into her pillow. "I have been tearing this place apart trying to find you."

Laura let out a shuddering breath but said nothing. Carmilla glowered.

"I am doing everything I can to keep you safe and what do you do? You risk your life for a worthless device! What are you trying to prove? That you can still save the day? Well no one asked you to, cupcake."

The words would have stung more if Laura didn't already feel like a dead weight. The encounter with Danny had sucked the life out of her.

"I am trying to protect you, you silly girl," Carmilla continued, "The least you can do is stay put."

"I never asked you to protect me," Laura croaked.

Carmilla bared her teeth in a ferocious smile. "Oh no? You never wanted me to be your vampire protector and save you from the villains and live happily ever after?"

"No," Laura mumbled.

"Perfect! Then you can just crawl out of these tunnels and take care of yourself!"

"Would you two cut it out," snapped LaFontaine. They stood in the open doorway, covered in a thin layer of slime from some experiment or another, looking exasperated. "You guys are ridiculous."

Carmilla looked away, still peeved, but held her tongue. Laura sat up, wiping snot and tears from her face, and said, "Do you have a way to charge my laptop? It's on its last percentage."

LaFontaine crossed the room to kneel in front of her. "Of course, but are you sure there's anything useful on there?"

Laura nodded, "Something was recorded after we escaped. I saw that the file existed but I didn't open it, so I have no idea what's there, but it could help us figure out what happened to Perry and J.P."

LaFontaine stood quickly at the mention of Perry's name. They strode out of the room as they called over their shoulder, "Let me get myself cleaned up. I'll be right back."

Laura glanced up at Carmilla but the vampire wouldn't meet her gaze.

"I'm sorry," Laura sighed, "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you. But I'm not sorry that I left! You can't keep me holed up in here."

Carmilla flipped her dark hair out her face and glared. "I am simply trying to do what's best for our collective survival. But if you are so determined to put yourself in harm's way, that's not my problem."

Laura sighed. They'd had a similar fight only hours after their escape. As they wandered through the tunnels, dazed and disoriented, Laura's overactive sense of heroics kicked in as she proclaimed, "WE HAVE TO GO BACK FOR THEM" and it took both Carmilla and LaFontaine to drag her to the library.

Carmilla let out a puff of air. "I worry about you. You are so ready to charge into certain death. It's terrifying, especially for someone who loves you."

Laura blushed despite herself. It still threw her that there was a shared affection, even after what their relationship had endured.

"I can't explain it," Laura explained. "I want to help people and I want to make a difference. Sitting around here, waiting for you or LaFontaine to make some progress, that's torture for me. I need to have something to do."

"Fine," Carmilla huffed, "But maybe we can find you a less disastrous hobby?"

"Sure."

Laura crossed her arms over her chest. She needed to talk about what she had seen, because the knowledge of it would tear into her until she finally let it out. It took her a moment to find her words.

"I saw Danny. Up there. And she...she isn't dead. I think she's a vampire."

Carmilla hardly glanced at her.

"I know."


	6. Chapter 6

"YOU KNEW?" Laura squawked as she sprang to her feet. Carmilla leveled an icy stare at her. "You knew and you didn't tell me?!"

"Why should I? Why should I send you on a one woman suicide mission to get to the bottom of it?"

"Because I...because...you are -"

"A monster, I know," Carmilla finished for her.

"How did you want me to find out? Because getting kissed by someone who you THOUGHT WAS DEAD is not the best way. But that's just my opinion!"

"What do you mean kissed?"

"Wouldn't you like to know!"

"I can't leave you two alone for a minute, can I?" sighed LaFontaine. They were damp but no longer slimy and they were pushing a machine about the size of a handheld vacuum on a library cart.

Laura swung around to face them. "What about you? Did you know Danny was a vampire?"

They stopped in their tracks. "No. I had no idea."

"Oh." Laura slumped over, suddenly exhausted. "Sorry."

"I'm sorry, too." LaFontaine pushed the cart into the center of the room and started adjusting the device. "I promise we'll help Danny. We're gonna get her and Perry and J.P out of there."

"I hate to break it to you, Bill Nye," Carmilla sneered, "But there isn't much we can do for them. It's about time you both faced the facts."

"Shut up, Carmilla. I have no patience for your bullshit right now."

Carmilla didn't have a retort for LaFontaine's directness. Instead, she wandered off to sulk against a wall. Laura peered over LaFontaine's shoulder.

"What is that?"

"It began life as a Dustbuster, but now it's a modified portable generator. My design should eliminate the carbon monoxide output. If I can get it to work, of course."

"That's incredible!" Laura squeeked, "How did you do it?"

"I honestly couldn't say. I've really been in a daze the last few weeks and...well, you know me. I like to 'anxiety tinker.'"

"What else do you have?"

"A couple long-range weapons, a light system for the tunnels, a grappling hook...but everything's still in beta."

"What are you like when you're not productive?"

LaFontaine grinned, "I hope I never find out." Then they flipped a switch and the Dustbuster generator began to hum and vibrate.

"You may want to step back," they said, putting a hand on Laura's shoulder, "This is the point when it might explode." They both took a few steps away, Laura cowering behind LaFontaine, as the vacuum began to rumble.

Nothing happened.

"OKAY!" shouted LaFontaine, clapping their hands together, "Let's take this puppy for a spin." They gathered up Laura's laptop, plugged the charger into a handcrafted outlet, and flipped open the computer's lid. The tiny light on the side flipped to green and LaFontaine grinned maniacally at their success.

Laura took over, navigating to the raw video footage she had found during her trip to the apartment. "Okay, team," she muttered, "Let's see what we've got." And she clicked play.

Carmilla drifted over to stand behind the other two as Perry's face filled the screen. LaFontaine's shoulders slumped as Perry made her confession. And Laura practically screamed when Danny's body rose from the chair, and again when Danny kissed Kirsh, and again when Danny took a bite of out him. When the footage flickered and died, the three of them just stood there.

LaFontaine broke the silence. "I knew something was wrong. I just didn't want to admit it to myself. You know someone for your whole life...I mean, I know how hard it can be to accept when someone you love changes. Perry still won't always call me by the correct pronouns. But she was being possessed and I didn't want to see it! She was acting strange and I just wrote it off. Oh God, I'm a terrible friend."

"No," Laura said, grabbing LaFontaine's hand, "you are not a terrible friend. We all missed it. We were all too focused on what was happening with the Board and Mattie and Vordenberg. This is not all on you."

LaFontaine shook their head. Laura wasn't sure how best to comfort them, so she held their hand with the same ferocity she used to confront any difficulty situation and glared at her laptop.

"So," Carmilla spoke up from behind them, "What's the plan, Scooby Doo?"


	7. Chapter 7

"YES! A PLAN," cried Laura.

Carmilla's regret was instantaneous.

"Okay, gang…"

"When I said 'Scooby Doo' I didn't really mean-"

"...whatever business is going on has been going on long enough! It's about time we bust out of this stupid library and do something."

"Okay, again," Carmilla interjected, "A plan would be good. And not one of your half-baked plans. Let's at least try to come up with something viable that has a reasonable chance for success."

Laura lifted a pensive finger to her chin. "Obviously we need to get to the Dean's apartment and subdue Perry, but we're going to need back up. There are still people around, right?"

Laura and LaFontaine turned to Carmilla, who almost gave herself whiplash looking anywhere else.

"Well, that's a good sign," muttered LaFontaine, "What are you so hesitant to share with us, Nightwing? Are we the only ones left besides a horde of monsters?"

"No…"

Laura grabbed Carmilla's shoulder, which earned her a sneer, "Come on, Carm! What's going on out there?"

Carmilla sighed, "Alright, but you aren't going to like it…"

She waited but when the other two didn't stop staring intently at her she rolled her eyes and continued, "The Corvae have established a perimeter around the campus. Anyone who didn't escape when Vordenberg died is still trapped here. There are pockets of survivors all over the place."

"Survivors?" Laura gawked. "We're survivors?"

"Well, yes, after a psychotic old man put us on military lockdown, murdered a fish god, and incited a small scale war, those left became 'survivors.'"

"Cool, great, awesome," Laura said. "Continue!"

"The main outpost is the cafeteria, most of the students are there. I think their leader is that one Summer Society girl, with the curly hair and bad attitude."

"Mel," LaFontaine offered.

"Yeah, her," Carmilla nodded, "I like her. They seem to be doing okay, considering the circumstances. They have patrols and scouts and a messenger system. I've run across them a few times."

"Wait," Laura spoke up, "You don't fight them, do you?"

Carmilla sighed, "No. For your sake, I don't. I figured there would come a time when you would decide to rally the troops. So I've been a good little vampire and I haven't eaten any potential allies."

Laura smiled, "Thanks. I appreciate that. Really."

"Whatever," Carmilla looked away but Laura caught her blush, "I mostly pick on the Zetas. They've all gone off in different directions. They've broken into warring factions over that Theo kid. They are not our best bet for survival, with all their infighting."

"What about the Alchemy Club?" asked LaFontaine.

Carmilla snorted, "Those little assholes are completely locked down in one of the science buildings. You can't even get in shouting range before a reanimated corpse pops up to maul you. And then there's the damn vampires."

"What?"

Carmilla gestured at the laptop, "My mother has been busy resurrecting as many dead students as she can get her hands on. Remember those Summer sprinkles that were gutted? They've been running around enjoying their new powers. It's embarrassing."

Laura ran a hand through her hair. "You said the Corvae set up a perimeter. What does that mean?"

"I mean guard towers, fences, razor wire, dogs, guys with guns. They've gone all out. But from what I can tell, they are just keeping people in."

"That's sinister," muttered LaFontaine.

"So…" Laura furrowed her brow, "We want to get to the cafeteria. You're right, Mel is our best bet. She is not a huge fan of ours, but she definitely has a sense of honor that could work in our favor. The Zetas sound like too much of a liability and the Alchemy kids are pretty much doing what we all expected them to do. Plus, the cafeteria isn't too far from here. I think. Where are we, exactly?"

"We're roughly where the library used to be," Carmilla replied, "Except there's no building."

"Then...what? What happens when you go outside?"

Carmilla shrugged, "When you leave the tunnels, it's like walking through jello and then you turn up outside. I try not to think about it."

"Cool," said LaFontaine, "I'm going to need to look into that…"

"So," Laura looked around at the two of them, "we're doing this? Yeah? We're doing this?"

LaFontaine shrugged. Carmilla sighed.

Laura threw her hands in the air. "We're doing this!"


End file.
